Population Dynamics of Drosophilids in the Pampa Biome in Response to Temperature

Environmental variables such as temperature and rainfall can directly affect the community structure of dipterans. Seasonal oscillations in the abundance of species of Drosophilidae reflect differences in how tolerant populations are to climatic conditions. Over a period of 14 months, we collected samples in two habitats in the Pampa biome in the municipality of São Luiz Gonzaga, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (28°24′28″S, 54°57′39″W). The influence of environmental variables on populations of Drosophilidae was evaluated for both collecting sites by using correlation analysis. The results suggested a negative correlation between the abundances of Drosophila cardinoides Dobzhansky & Pavan, Drosophila maculifrons Duda, Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, Drosophila nigricruria Patterson & Mainland, and Zygothrica vittimaculosa Burla with temperature, which is reflected in the distribution of these species within Brazil. Our findings are important for characterizing and preserving biodiversity in this almost-unknown biome in southern Brazil given the current climate change scenario.